"Joules" are the SI unit of work or energy, named after the British physicist James Prescott Joule. Simply put, a joule represents the amount of work done when a force of one newton moves a distance of one meter. Imagine that you're pushing a book one meter across a flat table. If you apply a force of one newton to that effort, the total energy you've expended is one joule. Now let’s explore this deeper. If you've ever lifted an apple from the ground to a table, you've exerted about one joule of energy. Or think about it the way a small bird does. A hummingbird, flapping its wings with an energy of around 4 joules per second, can hover in place searching for nectar. Joules are everywhere, in every push, pull, leap, or landing. Understanding joules helps us measure and appreciate the energy required for every action we see and perform in the universe.
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